The Lost Elder Brother .. (Luke 15:25-30)

Introduction

The Elder Son Story begins with the elder brother coming home from outside the house - from the fields. As he approached the house he heard music and dancing.....

Surprisingly he wasn't informed of the younger brother's return - the more reason to do so by the disgusting way the younger brother left the house. But the appearance of this elder son - at that juncture is significant. The father undoubtedly knows his elder son will be upset - and, if notified, may even stop and call off the banquet. And Jesus, in telling the story, had him appeared at this juncture to heighten the comparison between the 2 sons.

Even the timing of the feast is significant. It was in the early evening when the workers would be returning from the fields - just as the elder son also appears. The loud music signals of 'something good' is going on and there's 'something to eat' 

 

There's no formal official opening. The village people just drop in - sing, dance, drink wine, talk, gossip, eat, go out, come back....And many more are returning from the fields.... many more will pop in. The eating - drinking - dancing and singing, etc... will last half the night.

And Kenneth Bailey lay stress on this: Everything Moves. To the Arabs - Movement is Blessing. Village life is dull. The more movement there is - the more enthusiasm. And the more enthusiasm - the More Blessing. This is a loud party with almost the whole village involved The loud singing and rhythmic hand clapping comes naturally from/to the village/kampung people. 

 

The peoples are rejoicing together - just as in the 'found - joy' stories of the lost sheep and of the lost coin. of Luke 15:4,7)

 

 

 

Photo of Israel and the Great Empires

The elder son appears on this rapturous scene. But surprisingly... decided NOT to join in.....He is unnaturally suspicious.  Any son, in a normal warm relationship with his family, would eagerly enter immediately and participate in the joyous occasion. The beat of the music - rhythmic hand clapping is evidence of a joyous occasion. Village rhythms are specific and well known. Has he always been unnaturally suspicious...!

The elder brother was actually sorry - that his younger brother came back.

His attitude typifies that of the self-righteous Pharisees who would rather see the sinner/lost one destroyed.. than saved.. This fault-finder elder brother sees not his own fault.

His years of obedience service are one of grim duty and not of loyalty.

His self-righteous character bears testimony to his lack of compassion towards his younger brother.

His peculiar nasty mind exposes him... - there was no mention of prostitution amongst the list of the younger's list of wrongs until he mentions it.

Photo of Jesus was a friend to the Outcasts

His "Staying Out" was Unusual - and Wrong.

He brushed aside the Culture of his peoples and violated the Fifth Commandment. He quarelled with his father - over the way his younger brother was received back home.

Rightly, he should have entered the house - fulfilled his role as joint host(as is required of the elder son) - publicly embrace the return of his younger brother. (In some parts of some villages - the elder son is required to stand barefooted at the door to greet guests....) - he should be moving amongst the guests, offering compliments ... making sure that every guest is being served.

Such custom is widespread across Arab Village Life.....

And when all the guests have gone home.. - only then he can complain against the public fashion accorded earlier to an untrustworthy younger brother. Instead... he chose to ignore the Values of the Culture of his peoples ...and home.   

 

And his quarrel with his father was an insult against the high regard for the authority of fathers in Middle East Culture.   He refused to participate in the banquet hosted by the father. He ignored the Values of the Culture - and Customs of his peoples 

 

We see now a 2nd repeat of a break in relationships between father and son... similar to the earlier ... with the younger son.

For the purpose of this story... this is a very serious matter when sons insult a father.(See Luke 15:28) - the more so in a village where everybody knows everybody. What the elder son did - and he did it publicly ... was humiliating ... whilst the guests were still present. Ignore Customs/Culture... and we lose Values.

For a 2nd time on the same day, the father goes out of the house offering in public humiliation. Unexpected Love; the father comes out to entreat - not to scold or rebuke.

Ignoring even to address his father - "father..." in verse 29 confirms his Loss in Values....Respect. He was the more focussed on Balance of Payments ... Disputes over the Rights of Wages when he said, ".... thou never gavest me a kid" (Luke 15:29) He got his perspectives upside down....

Photo The Practice of Justice,

After insulting his father publicly, yet he dare say, "I never disobeyed your commandment." (Luke 15:29) The crowd is there. Sweet talk but very subtle!. 

The music and dancing automatically stops - when the father unexpectedly forgives the younger son. The crowd is stunned initially expecting the younger son to be punished. Instead .. the father unexpectedly forgives his younger son. "It was meet that we should be merry... for this thy brother ... was lost.... and is found." (Luke 15:32)

What follows .... has been remembered ... and has been re-told again and again in that Village for years - into Time Immemorial .. for Jesus to re-tell this Story. 

 

There are 2 prodigals. Whilst the younger was indifferent and rebelious - while absent from the house in the far country; the elder was also a prodigal - with anger, prejudice, jealousy in his heart whilst at home and in church. 

 

That Far Country begins from where ever we are. Even saints do get lost .. in church. The younger son was an honourable sinner - perfectly open to his father; but the elder son was a hypocritical saint - he hid his feelings and bore grudges.

He remained home - but all the while hating his father and brother: "this your son" instead of "my brother" exposes his hypocrisy.

The Theology/Theme behind the 3 Stories

- the Lost Sheep speaks of the Shepherd seeking it - until he found that lost sheep

- the Lost Coin tells of the Poor Village Woman searching it - until she found it.

- the 2 Lost Sons - unbesieged by a tolerant father summarises both the above 2 stories.

* the young prodigal was like the lost sheep - wandering off for the far country.

* the elder prodigal was at home/in the church - like the lost coin all the time but equally lost.

What each story teaches

the lost coin

it was not the coin's fault that it got lost. Some one lost it. There are people who got lost through no fault from them; but from the fault of others. It is bad to wrong ourselves; but it is far worse to cause others to stumble.

the lost sheep

it got lost through foolishness - thoughtlessness. So often we get lost through want of foresight. The sheep kept on niblng on and on - never taking stock of the shepherd, his companions...etc

We get so concerned with Now so much so that we forget the Future - Our Tomorrows is but the Result of our Todays.

the lost younger brother

he was allowed the freedom to have things his own way. When we know what is wrong - yet kept on insisting on doing it.... we reap the harvest thereon.

Life's lesson: Prevention is better than Curing...! or Learning life the Hard Way!?

Photo Moral Distortion

Conclusion

 

GOD does not want servants/hirelings - but sons. The younger son was lost. He left home; but he came back! The elder son was also lost.. Didn't he come back?

Do NOT only look at this story to the Pharisees - and the Publicans. Jesus is discussing 2 basic types of people: 1) lawless without the law and 2) lawless within the law.

Both rebelled. Both broke the father's heart. Both are lost.

One accepts the status of "being found"; the other - as far as we know - does not.... and remain "being lost". As Jesus conludes His story, He left out the ending!?

And this is the masterpiece of the Drama. The curtain drops - with the elder son - outside.  The Pharisees had to give their answers.

Likewise - each one of us must decide what our answer will be. We can choose to remain outside or we can choose to come home.

Let us pray.

Dear God, our Heavenly Father ... why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, why should we linger and heed not His mercies. Ye who are weary, come home!

Come home! Take our hands, O God - and lead us home. Amen.
 

Pastor Edwin Khoo